The Baltic
In June 1917 Cowan was made Commodore of the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron. In 1918 he was promoted Rear-Admiral, staying in command of the squadron. In January 1919 the squadron was sent to the Baltic. The squadron kept the sea lanes open to the newly independent Estonia and Latvia, enabling them to secure their freedom. During the course of this campaign, coastal torpedo boats attached to Cowan's command sank two Bolshevik battleships and one cruiser at Kronstadt naval base. Augustus Agar received the Victoria Cross for his part in these events. Andrew Browne Cunningham, later Britain's leading World War II admiral, commanded Cowan's destroyers in this campaign. Cowan's forceful diplomacy ensured a successful mission, for which he was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1919 and created a Baronet, "of the Baltic", in the 1921 New Year Honours.
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